Table aligning and locking device

ABSTRACT

An alignment and locking device for a table having separable sections including a male member attached to one of the opposed sections adjacent its abutting edge and a female member attached to the other of the opposed sections adjacent its abutting edge in alignment with the male member so that as the sections are moved toward each other the male and female members interact to align the table sections. A locking member interconnects the male and female members to force them together and force the edges into abutting engagement.

United States Patent [1 1 Griffin 1 1 TABLE ALIGNING AND LOCKING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Groves L. Griffin, 3248 Donnebrook Ln. S.E., Atlanta, Ga. 30354 [22] Filed: May 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 365,254

[52] US. Cl. 108/89, 108/64 [51] Int. Cl. A47b [58] Field of Search 108/89, 83, 86, 90, 64, 108/65, 88; 292/251 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,060,747 5/1913 Drysdale 292/215 1,904,897 4/1935 Kahrs 108/90 2,092,441 9/1937 Ciprus 108/90 E5 5 40 6' a s [111 3,820,477 June 28, 1974 3,515,077 6/1970 Glowacki 108/89 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant ExaminerDoris L. Troutman 5 7] ABSTRACT An alignment and locking device for a table having separable sections including a male member attached to one of the opposed sections adjacent its abutting edge and a female member attached to the other of the opposed sections adjacent its abutting edge in alignment with the male member so that as the sections are moved toward each other the male and female members interact to align the table sections. A locking member interconnects the male and female members to force them together and force the edges into abutting engagement.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures TABLE ALIGNING AND LOCKING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various devices are available on the market today for securing the sections of a separable table top together. Most of thse devices use a locking device to secure the sections and a separate alignment device to maintain the abutting edges of the table sections in alignment. Not only does this increase the total cost of maufacture of the necessary hardware to operate the table, but also causes the hardware to be difficult to install and cumbersome to use. Also, the point at which the sections of the table are clamped together is usually laterally displaced from the alignment devices thereby making uniform clamping of the sections together difficult to achieve. This causes a crack to be frequently left between the abutting edges to allow material to collect therein or liquids to pass therethrough. Moreover, most of these prior art locking devices become inoperable once the main sections of the tableare separated in order for additional leafs to be installed. This has reduced the stability of the table in its extended position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art are overcome by the invention disclosed herein by providing a combination locking and aligning device which is simple in construction, easily installed, and easily-operated. Moreover, the invention is capable of locking the table together in both its extended and retracted positions to maintain stability. Further, the clamping forces are applied at the points of alignment so that the abutting edges of the table can be tightly clamped together to eliminate any cracks therebetween as is common with the prior art.

The invention includes generally complementary male and female members which are attached to the table across abutting edges thereof. The male member fits within the female member to align the abutting edges. A locking member is provided which interconnects the male and female members to force them together while at the same time clamping the abutting edges of the table together. 7

These and other features and advantages of the invention disclosed herein will become more apparent upon consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view of the underside of a table using the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the invention taken from the bottom of a table;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2 showing the table upside down;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the invention in an open position and reduced in size;

' 2 ever, it is to be understood that the inventive concept is not limited thereto since it may be embodied in other forms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 14, it will be seen that the invention is used in connection with a conventional tablev T having separable main sections T, connected by an appropriate slide assembly SA -on the underside U, thereof for allowing sections T, to be opened and closed along path P, and supported on legs L. A leaf section L, may be inserted between the separable sections T, as shown in FIG. 1.

A plurality of alignment locks 10 separably connect the sections T, and leaf section L, at each pair of abutting edge E,. While a spaced pair of locks 10 are provided across each pair of abutting edges, it is to be understood that as many locks 10 as desired may be used.

The locks 10 are all identical in construction and therefore only one will be described in detail with like numbers applied to the others. Each alignment lock 10 includes a male unit 11 and a female unit 12. The male unit 11 is attached to the separable section T, or leaf section L, at one abutting edge E, while the female unit 12 is attached to section T, or leaf L, at the other abutting edge E, in alignment with male unit 11.

The male unit 11 is an elongate strip having a main body 20 defining a mounting surface 21 on the back thereof for placement against the underside U of the appropriate section T, or L,. A tongue 22 is provided on one end of body 20 in alignment therewith so that its back surface 24 lies in the plane of surface 21. An outwardly turned locking bracket 25 is provided on the opposite end of body 20 and projects below the underside U, of table T substantially normal to the underside U, The unit 11 is attached to the section T, or L, so that its longitudinal centerline CL is parallel to the path P along which the table opens and closes. Fasteners 26 attach the body 20 to the section T, or L, so that the tongue 22 extends over the associated abutting edge E, a prescribed distance d and with the back surface 24 of tongue 22 lying in the plane of the underside U, of section T, or L,.

The female unit 12 is also an elongate strip having a body 30 defining a mounting surface 31 on the back thereof for placement against the underside U, of that,

section T, or L, abutting the section carrying the male unit 11. The unit 12 also includes an aligning member 32 connected to the main body 30 through a bend 34 so that the back surface 35 of member 32 is parallel to the underside U, of section T, or L, and spaced therefrom a prescribed distance d, when the mounting surface of body 30 rests on the underside U,. The prescribed distance d is substantially equal to the thickness 1, of the tongue 22 so that a tongue receiving pocket 36 is defined between back surface 35 and the underside U,. Fasteners 38 attach body 30 to the underside U, of section T, or L, at its abutting edge E, directly opposite male unit 11 so that the open end 39 of pocket 36 faces tongue 22 and the centerline CL of unit 12 is in alignment with the centerline CL of unit- II. The depth-d of pocket 36' is greater than distance a so that the edges E, abut before the'tongue 22 bottoms in pocket 36.

That end of aligning member 32 opposite bend 34 projects beyond the edge E a prescribed distance d and is provided with an outwardly turned locking bracket 40 that projects below the underside U of table T. A curved guide surface 41 is provided at the projecting end of member 32 to assist in directing the tongue 22 into pocket 36 as the abutting edges E, are forced toward each other.

A locking member 50 selectively connects the locking bracket 25 on male unit 11 with locking bracket 40 on female unit 12 so as to selectively force the male and female members 11 and 12 toward each other until the edges E abut. The pocket 36 receives the tongue 22 so as to align the top surfaces S, of the sections T, or L The locking member 50 is a threaded fastener having threads 51 at one end of shank 52 and a driving member 54 at the other end of shank 52. The shank 52 between the threads 51 and driving member 54 is rotatably received through an aperture 55 through bracket 25. The aperture 55 is larger in diameter than the diameter of the shank 52 so that a loose fit is achieved. An abuttment 56 may be provided on shank 52 between driving member 54 and bracket 25 as will be apparent and a retainer 58 may be provided on shank 52 at threads 51 to keep member 50 in place. The locking bracket 40 is provided with an aperture 59 axially aligned with the aperture 55 in bracket 25 and is internally threaded at 60. As the threaded end of the member 50 is moved toward the threaded aperture 59, the member 50 can be screwed into the threads 60 to clamp the edges E, together. The loose fit between member 50 and aperture 55 allows slight misalignment between units 11 and 12 to be compensated for especially when coarse threading is used for threads 51 and 60. The length d,, of the shank 52 of member 50 is sufficiently long to prevent the member 50 from binding against bracket 40 as the sections T, or L, are moved together and before the member 50 is screwed into threads 60.

It will also be noted that the centerlines CL of all of the locks on each side of table T are axially aligned and the male and female units 11 and 12 of each lock 10 are ordered in the same way so that when the leaf section L, is removed, the male and female units 11 and 12 on the separable main sections T align to clamp the abutting edges E together. Also when the leaf section L is inserted between the main sections T the male and female units 11 and l2on section L, align with the complementary male and female units 1 1 and 12 on the main sections T In this manner, not only can the main sections T, without the leaf section L, be firmly clamped together, but the leaf section L, can also be clamped firmly to the main sections T in the extended position of the table.

By using at least two locks 10 spaced along each set of abutting edges E improved clamp up of the edges is obtained. It is anticipated that a pattern will be supplied with each lock 10 so that the homeowner can easily install same. Also, it will be noted that the main body of the male unit 11 of each lock 10 has a different shape than the main body 30 of the female unit 12 to facilitate the order of placement of the locks. This will insure that the abutting edges E, can be clamped together whether the leaf section L, is used or not. Also, it will be noted that the shape of the main bodies 20 and 30 is assymmetrical so that neither unit 1 l or 12 will be reversed during installation.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternate embodiment of the lock is illustrated and designated 10'. Most of the components of lock 10' are common with lock 10 and are designated by the same reference numbers. Those that are modified are designated by primes of the reference numbers applied to the corresponding parts of the lock 10. The lock 10 is designed to be applied to a table T with an appropriate adhesive such as contact cement. The contact area of the mainbody 20 of male unit 11' and the body 30 of the female unit 12' as defined by their respective back surfaces 21 and 31 is sufficiently large to allow the adhesive A to afiix the lock 10 to the underside U of the table. The operation of lock 10' is the same as that for lock 10.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein, it is to be understood that full use may be made of modifications, substitutions, and equivalents without departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

I claim:

1. An alignment and locking system for interconnecting-the separable sections of a table together across their abutting edges including a mechanism comprismg:

a male member attached to the underside of one of the separable sections at one of the abutting edges, and including a tongue projecting out from the one of the abutting edges under the opposite abutting edge parallel to the plane of the separable section and a first locking bracket projecting below the separable section; female member attached to the underside of the other of the separable sections at the opposite abutting edge and including a receptable portion spaced from the underside of the separable section to define an alignmentspace opening toward said tongue and in alignment therewith and a second locking bracket projecting below the other separable section in substantial alignment with said first locking bracket; and,

tensioning means interconnecting said first and second locking brackets to force the abutting edges together and said tongue into said abutting edges in horizontal alignment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said receptable portion of said female member projects over the abutting edge associated therewith a prescribed distance.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said male member includes a first main body attached to the one of the separable sections and having a first general shape and wherein said female member includes a second main body attached to the other of the separable sections and having a second general shape different from said first general shape.

4. The system of claim 1 including a plurality of said mechanisms attached to the table at spaced points along the abutting edges of the separable sections.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the separable sections include a pair of main sections connected by a slide assembly for movement toward and away from each other along a prescribed path so that their opposed edges can abut, and at least one leaf section removably positioned between the opposed edges of the main section and having opposite edges to abut the opposed edges and wherein said plurality of mechanisms the main sections operatively interconnect so that said tensioning means can be used to clamp the opposed edges together.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said tensioning means is a threaded member rotatably carried by said male member and threadedly engaging said female member to force said male member toward said female member. 

1. An alignment and locking system for interconnecting the separable sections of a table together across their abutting edges including a mechanism comprising: a male member attached to the underside of one of the separable sections at one of the abutting edges, and including a tongue projecting out from the one of the abutting edges under the opposite abutting edge parallel to the plane of the separable section and a first locking bracket projecting below the separable section; a female member attached to the underside of the other of the separable sections at the opposite abutting edge and including a receptable portion spaced from the underside of the separable section to define an alignment space opening toward said tongue and in alignment therewith and a second locking bracket projecting below the other separable section in substantial alignment with said first locking bracket; and, tensioning means interconnecting said first and second locking brackets to force the abutting edges together and said tongue into said abutting edges in horizontal alignment.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said receptable portion of said female member projects over the abutting edge associated therewith a prescribed distance.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said male member includes a first main body attached to the one of the separable sections and having a first general shape and wherein said female member includes a second main body attached to the other of the separable sections and having a second general shape different from said first general shape.
 4. The system of claim 1 including a plurality of said mechanisms attached to the table at spaced points along the abutting edges of the separable sections.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the separable sections include a pair of main sections connected by a slide assembly for movement toward and away from each other along a prescribed path so that their opposed edges can abut, and at least one leaf section removably positioned between the opposed edges of the main section and having opposite edges to abut the opposed edges and wherein said plurality of mechanisms operatively connect the main sections to the leaf section, each of said mechanisms connecting one of the main sections with the leaf section aligned with one of said mechanisms connecting the other of said main sections with the leaf section along a secondary path substantially parallel to said prescribed path, said aligned mechanisms ordered in arrangement so that when the leaf section is removed and the opposed edges of the main sections abut, said male and female members on the main sections operatively interconnect so that said tensioning means can be used to clamp the opposed edges together.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said tensioning means is a threaded member rotatably carried by said male member and threadedly engaging said female member to force said male member toward said female member. 